On the Burial Mounds of Ulaan Khermıın Shoroon Bumbagar (Maykhan Uul) and Shoroon Dov in Mongolia

As archaeological researches increase about Early Medieval burial sites around Altai and Tengri (t’ien shan) mountains, our information about early Turkic tribes becomes more reliable. One of the cases that will help to enhance our understanding is the burial mounds found recently in Mongolia, named as Shoroon Dov and Ulaan Khermiin Shoroon Bumbagar. Kurgans were excavated by joint archaeological teams in 2009 and 2011. They are close in proximity on both site of the river Tola. Also the artifacts of kurgans constitute an important source for the history of Tola valley around 630 CE. even for Orhon Uighur Khaganate (Ötüken/Great Uyghur Khaganate) established after 744 CE. It must be admitted that every archaeologist studying the objects of the Gök Türks has a cherished dream to find the grave of one of the great steppe rulers. Sometimes this seemingly innocent vanity prevents the archaeologist from truly interpreting the archaeological artifacts. Thus, after the discovery of the Ulaan Khermiin Shoroon Bumbagar kurgan, some archaeologists claimed the idea that it should belong to one of the rulers of the Gök Türks. In this article, based on the archaeological materials of this kurgans and comparing it with the artifacts of other burials dated to the same period, we try clarify to whom and the which civilization these burials might have belonged to.